[LP640]

Man that is crosscountry across segments upgrade... Congrats on owning the finest automotive masterpiece!

By the way how do you compare the X1 and the S350? Or rather should I ask, how do you compare yourself zeroing X1 v/s yourself owning a S350??

Have fun, drive safe!

[Pallavi]

WOW!! There is no other word for this beauty..

Congrats and wish you many happy miles with your car

[nandishpal]

congrats bro!!!i cant still beleive you upgraded your budget so much higher.
i just cant stop praising the 221 shape,this is on my list of cars but with the big daddy 500 or the 600.
we should meet once & i will show you my w140,you will be amazed with the gizmos & goodies the S class had for its age.also after the 140 i think 221 is the only shape which does justice to its class.
i want to TD one today

[rrsteer]

The best or nothing, eh?

I love the audacity depicted in the thread
Superb stuff & best of luck!

[androdev]

Originally Posted by crux

Congrats on the S 350, androdev! Is the left side view mirror flat? If so ask the dealer to replace it with a convex one asap. The visibility increases considerably by doing so.

Left one is also convex with a dotted line and extra aspherical portion toward the edge. The visibility is excellent for a car of this size - the read seat headrests can be folded down with a push of a button to get a clear view of through the rear window.

Originally Posted by Zkalra

Cheers mate. A good choice indeed. Though I am sure you are aware that the reason you got a discount (apart from it being a petrol variant bit) is also because the new generation S class is a year or less away. Don't mean to dampen the spirits as this car is so exclusive as it is and in my opinion one of the best in class.

Yep, I knew what I was getting into. Honestly, the only way I could afford an S was through discounts - so I am actually happy the next model just around the corner without which this deal would not have materialized.

Originally Posted by lamborghini

Oh wow! That's quite an upgrade from the A4 you had zeroed in on earlier.
As much as everyone says, and as much as I am not a big fan of the S Class compared to the competition, theres no doubt that it feels more regal when than any of those when it passes by.
However, I would still want to try out the XJ-L. First choice in the segment - absolutely loved the car! But then the price you got yours for is incredible and would definitely sway the decision a little, especially given its ride.

Yeah, the ride + the price did it for me. Of course, there maybe technically/spec-wise better cars - but it is very hard to pass up an S, especially the current design.

About the auto-hold, when you brake and come to a complete stop and mash the brake pedal to activate the hold, the car should not roll back on an incline, unless you de-activate it. Even then, on an incline, deactivate it by pressing the accelerator when you want to move forward, and as the car starts moving, the hold gets deactivated without the car rolling back. Pressing the brake pedal again to deactivate it isn't very effective.
At least this is how it is in the W211 E Class.

Say while waiting at an uphill traffic signal, you may have to inch forward several times before you get the green and in Mercedes one has to do this foot-trick EVERY TIME it stops to activate HOLD whereas in BMW/Audi - you push a button and the auto-hold is active till disengaged by pushing the button again.

Originally Posted by LP640

By the way how do you compare the X1 and the S350? Or rather should I ask, how do you compare yourself zeroing X1 v/s yourself owning a S350??

There is a 520D in the family, so I started off looking for a car below 520D-spec that will be my daily drive and that's how X1 was in the shortlist. I also wanted a car with better ground clearance and X1 looked promising. Eventually I felt a comfortable family sedan is what would make me happy and I could use 520D as a daily drive if need be, so tried E350 and eventually stretched a bit for S350.

Rear seat of X1 is pretty basic with pretty harsh ride. If I were in the market again for X1, I would probably pick the 3 series instead of X1.

Originally Posted by nandishpal

congrats bro!!!i cant still beleive you upgraded your budget so much higher.
i just cant stop praising the 221 shape,this is on my list of cars but with the big daddy 500 or the 600.
we should meet once & i will show you my w140,you will be amazed with the gizmos & goodies the S class had for its age.also after the 140 i think 221 is the only shape which does justice to its class.
i want to TD one today

You are a lucky person to own a well maintained W140!! I wish I could say W221 will live to earn the iconic status of W140 but that is a tall order for these modern day cars. It would be interesting to see your comments on W221 test drive compared to W140. Also I tried to search but could not find any thread with your w140 photos (found w126 one though)

[lamborghini]

Originally Posted by androdev

Say while waiting at an uphill traffic signal, you may have to inch forward several times before you get the green and in Mercedes one has to do this foot-trick EVERY TIME it stops to activate HOLD whereas in BMW/Audi - you push a button and the auto-hold is active till disengaged by pushing the button again.

Well, that would be an annoyance!
Generally, at an uphill light here, I am just happy that the car ahead of me doesn't roll back, and i keep the few inches of space. If it builds up to a point where i need to go ahead, I go ahead, and do the brake thing again once, instead of multiple points in the same place.
Trust me, with the cost of spare prices at Mercedes (possibly more than BMW), the few extra inches is worth it!

[euroexotic]

Originally Posted by androdev

At the other end of the spectrum, Audi dealership made my family feel unwelcome after taking a booking amount from me!! Thank you Audi or I would have been driving an A4 now!

That sounds about right. It seems that all VW owned franchises seem to behave in this cold and aloof manner.

[DevilsCry]

Hey androdev,
Huge congratulations from yet another guy to you for this monster upgrade!

I've few wishes. It would be really amazing if you could try to do the following-
1. Pics of your S-Class at night.
2. A pic of infrared vision at play.
3. A pic of a person enjoying by sprawling across the rear seats heavily inclined or so.
4. A pic of your S-Class in email to the Audi dealer

[C300]

Ohh boy!! just read through your selection thread and I am speechless.
Mother of all upgrades!

Hearty congratulations androdev.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by DevilsCry

A pic of your S-Class in email to the Audi dealer

We have some Audi fans in the house

[VSD]

Very interesting write up androdev, also went through your upgrade thread, Brilliant car you got there. It's the best luxury saloon in the market today. I am a die hard BMW fan, but the S-class still never fails to attract me.

I have driven the S-class before, but that was on some good clean roads, how is it living with such a huge car? How is the ride comfort on different kind of roads and coping with the daily traffic conditions?

And how about some pictures of the F10 and the S350 together, i am sure many other members would love to feast their eyes on good old (fairly new) German cars.

[androdev]

Update after a holiday drive with family (1500km: Bangalore - Munnar[KL] - Tranquebar[TN] - Velankani[TN] - Bangalore):



I have completed about 3000KM which includes 50% of city driving in Bangalore and remaining 50% was clocked during the above holiday drive.

This is a terrific family car. Very practical for Indian driving conditions and super comfortable. Our plan was only to visit Munnar but the journey was comfortable enough for a family that hates road trips to sign-up for an extended trip.

I am not much of a driver to pass a judgement on this car but here is my take on how the car drove:

Drive experience:

Kickdown experience is a mixed-bag. If you are at lower speeds (20-30kmph I think) - the car jolts when it downshifts after kickdown most likely because it did not judge the downshift accurately, or it had to downshift 2/3 gears. Whatever it is, it is not smooth and it is a minor irritant given the car is so snobbishly composed all the time. Once the kickdown is successfully established - the engine growl is terrific. Some will like it, some will be surprised that their ultra silent cabin is intruded by this V6 growl.

Being a V6 petrol, the engine is super smooth and pulls effortlessly. On an unrelated note, I was surprised by many VW Polos that were driven quite aggressively during my highway runs. One Polo driver was particularly painful and he weaved through dangerously to overtake me in a tight situation forcing me to brake for his safety and give way to him (you know the type). When we got an empty patch, I tail-gated him at a safe distance forcing him to maintain the lead and he was able to sustain 180kmph for decent amount of time. I was impressed with Polo (not the driver though). Unfortunately I didn't notice which variant it is. I could have overtaken him at that speed as if it was stationary, with a V6 growl thrown in for the added effect. But this car makes me feel like a commercial pilot with precious passengers onboard.

Steering feedback and brakes are tuned more towards comfort. They do a decent job and give you the confidence and feeling of safety - but the fun-element is tuned out. The BMW F10 steering and brakes are super sharp and makes you grin each time you brake hard and upsets your passengers.

We were supposed to leave Bangalore early in order to reach Coimbatore before it gets dark. Due to some wrong planning we left Bangalore at 4pm and had to deal with plenty of rain and night driving before reaching Coimbatore at 10pm. The car was pretty good to drive in these conditions as well. No fogging up of the windows, decent road grip and visibility.


Features that I have come to appreciate:

It has got fantastic ground clearance. Compared to BMW F10, this makes such a huge difference because you can afford to be absent-minded about speed breakers and you don't have to come to a grinding halt at a speed breaker while all other cars that you just passed by don't feel sorry for you while they pass by If there are a series of speed breakers, it can be really frustrating to go through the never-ending cycle of "bmw overtakes the auto" and "auto overtakes the bmw".

Next, it has a steering wheel layout where the horn pad stretches till the rim of the wheel. Now fellow Indian drivers, isn't that just a feature to die for? Unlike the other European cars where pressing the horn usually happens (or may not happen at all) after the 'event' and with a great deal of manipulation of your limbs - sound-OK-horn is a piece of cake with this car. Love it! The power of a loud horn - when you need it!

The seats are ventilated and very comfortable. The driver can adjust the front-passenger seat fully (position, memory, cooling/heating, etc.). It is great to pick up your family member from the airport and have the seat completely adjusted and cooled before he/she gets in - all this from the comfort of driver seat. Talking about the airport pickup/drop - the boot can be opened/closed from the driver seat.

It has got great suspension and coupled with good ground clearance, it offers excellent ride comfort. The car has seen all kinds of road conditions - narrow hill station roads, patched up village roads, road-diversions - never felt vulnerable and never had to drive with extra caution.

The keyless-go is also a huge convenience. Never have to use the key, very neat.

For a car in this segment, it is a comfortable 5-seater (relatively). Other brands completely eliminated the middle seat, or they have put seat adjustment and iDrive-ish controls on rear central arm-rest, as a result making space for the 5th passenger will make seat adjustments, idrive controls inaccessible. The mercedes central arm-rest only has massage and seat-contour controls which are OK to live without in case a 5th passenger has to accommodated.

The only negative when it comes to practicality is the need for parking space. As I drive it myself and will have to leave it unattended while parked - I can't take this car everywhere unless I know there is a decent parking facility. It has enough parking aids (sensors, camera, etc.) to help you park if there is space. I have parked it in shopping malls and office, etc. where the parking is a bit tight and you need to learn few tricks apart from being extra cautious. City driving is not a problem - think of it as a car as wide as Innova. And while on the move, length hardly matters unless you are taking a U-turn which needs planning. Overall the size is easy to live with and not as overwhelming as I thought it would be.


Interesting stuff:

Parkatronic - In other cars, the parking sensors turn off once you cross 20kmph or so. But in S (Mercedes in general), the sensors (only front) turn on every time the speed drops below 20kmph. I feel this is useful because you get alerted if some someone is cutting too close to your car in congested situations. It is calibrated to beep only during close calls, so it doesn't annoy you with constant beeping. I can turn it off, but never felt the need to. It has park-assist that I am yet to check out.

speed limiter - apart from the not very useful cruise control (in India), it has a speed limiter function. once set, you can't accelerate beyond the set speed. if you do a kick-down, the speed-limit is cancelled and it is business as usual so you are not restricted from performing any emergency overtaking maneuver.

transmission kickdown - the BMW transmission is far superior IMO. 7G transmission is not too bad, but it jolts on kickdown in certain situations. Basically, doesn't get it right all the time. Whereas BMW one seem to get it right all the time.

auto-hold - you press the brake pedal fully (or twice quickly) to keep the car on "hold" at traffic signals, etc. This is accomplished in other brands by pushing a dedicated button (AUTO-HOLD) on/off. Initially I thought the dedicated push button is more convenient, but after driving the S class for few days, I prefer the brake pedal technique - so much so that I end up pressing the brake pedal in bmw as well.

5-seater - This car is a decent 5-seater. For a family car, I feel this is a practical aspect compared to the other cars where middle seat is completely eliminated altogether.

intelligent light and high beam assist - i am yet to see *** they do. i tried using these features but never felt they worked either because our country roads *always* have on-coming traffic lights so the car never uses high-beam or they are not calibrated properly. I usually go for manual override for high-beam etc.


What could be better:
1. Transmission doesn't get it right few times (kickdown at low speeds, steep uphill climbs)

2. No dedicated button to reset all the AC zones to a single temperature (has to be done through COMMAND)

3. Not possible to engage reverse parking sensors/camera without putting the car in reverse. I prefer to switch on the parking aid at traffic signals to see if I am too close to trucks behind me, etc. Not possible to do it in S without engaging reverse.

4. AC blower sound. The car is so quiet that AC blower sound is pretty loud relatively.

5. BMW brakes are damn sharp. S never gave me that feeling.

6. No video through SD/USB card. Plays video only though DVD disks.

7. Engine bay is not properly sealed for dust I feel. BMW does a better job.

8. The regular floor mats I bought are too small :(

9. They should have given storage for DVD cases, etc. under front seat.

10. I am yet to find a comfortable position that is friendly to my ankle during busy stop-and-go traffic. Need to spend time to get the correct seating position for my right foot. I suspect A and B pedals have too much height difference - but need to experiment more.

11. Petrol price ;-) Gives 5-9 kmpl depending on the driving conditions.

Overall, I am happy with the purchase. Though I have not done a comparison shopping before buying, I feel this is much more practical, easy to live with and less-flamboyant car when compared to the competition.

So long.. till the next trip..

[DicKy]

Well done @androdev and happy that you seem to have a great time with the S class.
Though ironic in India that you say it's a good family car, in reality it will be as it's a proper full sizer, and no wonder you find it easy to live with.BTW, you mentioned 'no fogging of windows', isn't it given that the window glasses doesn't fog up in the S or that class of vehicles?
(now waiting for your service expenses to round up the story)

[S350L-E240]

Hello,

Nice Picture, The little one aspiring to some day be the Big daddy? Dream on! lol, (No offense to anyone)

Originally Posted by androdev

We have some Audi fans in the house

Glad you enjoyed the trip you sure were having a blast considering I got little or pretty much no BBM's

Coming to a few of your points, I agree 7G is not the best but do get it reset might feel better, because honestly we never faced any such difficulty on our car.

3. I do not remember but even in the BMW reverse camera came on only in R mode, again someone who has access to the car right away can confirm I am not sure but again I do not use much of these systems.

4. When S was launched in early 2000's in India few of us were taken to Pune for a demo months before official launch and this is exactly what we were told that you will not hear anything besides the sound of AC blower, and that was the pre-facelift W220, and now we are soon to welcome W222. Little can be done about the AC blower noise.

5. Don't worry you will be as safe as you need to be

And for the rest don't forget they need you to in 2014 swap the 520d for the new S-500 and that will take care of all your other needs,

Until then have the best motoring experience ever,

Regards,

Originally Posted by androdev

What could be better:
1. Transmission

3. Not possible to do it in S without engaging reverse.

4. AC blower sound. The car is so quiet that AC blower sound is pretty loud relatively.

5. BMW brakes are damn sharp. S never gave me that feeling.

[androdev]

Originally Posted by DicKy

Well done @androdev and happy that you seem to have a great time with the S class.
Though ironic in India that you say it's a good family car, in reality it will be as it's a proper full sizer, and no wonder you find it easy to live with.BTW, you mentioned 'no fogging of windows', isn't it given that the window glasses doesn't fog up in the S or that class of vehicles?
(now waiting for your service expenses to round up the story)

I have been harping on the "family car" appeal because typically these cars are considered business-man's car. When you see an S class in India, you typically expect to see a chauffeur in the front and a boss in the back. When I see XJ, while it is very futuristic, I can't imagine a family trip in that car. It is too 'disco' for me. What I mean is, long-wheelbase and full-size may not make it necessarily a good family car.

They don't travel in the front - the car was stopped and these two kids were fighting to sit in the front. It took some effort to send them back.


Subjective, but I like the fact that this pic is in an S class and not in another car from this segment. It is very plush and yet not ostentatious.

Originally Posted by S350L-E240

Hello,

Hello!

Nice Picture, The little one aspiring to some day be the Big daddy? Dream on! lol, (No offense to anyone)

You obviously meant my son who loves his toy car aspiring to be me when he grows up, right? What is there to be offended about ;-) I am not such a bad role model.

And for the rest don't forget they need you to in 2014 swap the 520d for the new S-500 and that will take care of all your other needs,

Let me introduce you to my family - they are eager to have a word with you!